Welcome to the CTHS

Chesterfield Township, NJ, was settled in 1677 and was one of the first Quaker communities in the Delaware Valley and one of the oldest European settlements in the New World. Our historical society is dedicated to the collection, preservation and promotion of the Township's history, through our library, museum, and public programs and events. Please click the button below to find out more about our society.

For a list of members of our 2014 Board of Trustees, please click here.

Debbie Kelly to receive Oliphant Award

Current CTHS board member and past president Debbie Kelly was named this year's recipient of the Beulah Oliphant Award, given every year by the Old Barracks Museum to recognize women who have made outstanding contributions to New Jersey history in historic preservation, education or scholarship. The award is named in honor of Beulah Oliphant, who helped save the Old Barracks from destruction in 1902.

Debbie is being honored for her more than 28 years of work in historic preservation, including her chef d'oeuvre, the New Jersey Women's Heritage Trail, and several other historic sites.

Debbie is a principal at the historic preservation consulting firmPreservation Partners, and is

Debby Kelly

currently serving as the CTHS's Corresponding Secretary. She is a past board president, and has worked tirelessly to make the CTHS one of the finest small historical societies in the state.

The award ceremony will take place at Thomas Edison State College in Trenton on Thursday, March 19, from 4:30-6:00 p.m. For more information, please click here.

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Winning picture, "Pedro's House," by John O'Neill

Second place, "Green Monster," by Mike Budden

Plein Air winners announced

The winners in this year's inaugural Plein Air competition held October 18th during Heritage Day were announced that evening at a special reception at 2 Front Street. They are as follows:

Knowles Memorial Research Library

During our 325th Anniversary celebration on Saturday October 26, 2013, we formally dedicated our new research library and archives collection to long-time Chesterfield Township historian and Crosswicks resident C. Malcolm "Mal" Knowles. Click here to visit our new library page, where you will be able to familiarize yourself with our holdings, meet the staff, and search our online catalogue.

Museum Hours 2014

The Chesterfield Township Historical Society Museum is open to the public from June through October on the second and fourth Sundays of each month from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.For a brief history of the museum building and more information about the Museum, please follow this link.

For more information call Debbie at 609-291-9351

The Museum

Show your interest in local history -- get a "Discover NJ History" license tag!

Don’t just explore New Jersey history, be a part of it by helping to preserve historic sites for future generations!Click on the image on the left to find out how to get a "Discover NJ History" license plate!

The CTHS

The Chesterfield Township Historical Society was founded in 1976 by several township residents who were interested in bringing people together who were interested in the history of Chesterfield Township. The goals of the Historical Society are to educate, maintain and preserve the history of our Township.

Over the years, the Society has been able to acquire, maintain and preserve items native to Chesterfield in order to preserve the Township's charm and history for the benefit and improvement of our community. Some of these items are on display at the Historical Society Museum on 530 Ward Ave in Crosswicks. The Museum is open to the public, free of charge, on the second and fourth Sunday of the month from June to October.

Chesterfield Township is very proud of its three historical villages: Chesterfield, Sykesville and Crosswicks as well as the abundant farmland. We also welcome all of our new Chesterfield neighbors and are anxious for you to learn about the history of Chesterfield. We welcome your membership into the Society.